File basket



United States Patent 3,288,303 FILE BASKET Frederick M. Dahl, Silver Spring, Md., assignor to National Suppliers, lnc., Silver Spring, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed Aug. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 391,203 1 Claim. (Cl. 211-51) The present invention relates to a file basket and, more particularly, to an improved structure for use in facilitating the sorting and filing of documents.

The filing of papers into conventional filin-g cabinets has in the past been a tedious task since it has been necessary to simultaneously hold and sort the documents in the hands and to manipulate the contents of the interior of the file cabinet drawers while filing the documents.

The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of prior filing systems by providing a file basket structure attachable to the exterior of the filing cabinets int-o which the documents may be placed during the filing operation, this structure freeing both hands while filing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a file basket which provides easy access and free view to papers being filed and which holds these papers firmly in place An additional object of the invention is to provide a file basket which permits the transfer of documents directly to or from the file area.

Further objects and the entire scope of the invention will become more fully apparent when considered in light of the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention and from the appended claim.

The illustrative embodiment may be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of the invention illustrating its capability of being attached to the drawer handle of a filing cabinet;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the arrangement shown in FIGURE 1, the gravity clip in its open position and the filing cabinet being illustrated in dash lines; and

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational View of the file basket per se.

Briefly, the file basket com-prises a tray having a fiat web portion with integral flange portions at the front and rear thereof, these flanges extending upwardly and outwardly with respect to the flat web portion. A hanger arrangement is attached to the exterior surface of the front flange to permit the attachment of the file basket on the drawer handle of a filing cabinet. A gravity clip is pivotally connected to the top edge of the rear flange. In its operative position, the main portion of the gravity clip rests on the flat web portion of the tray or on any documents within the tray. The gravity clip may be swung to its open position in which it hangs exteriorly of the file basket to permit unimpaired access to the tray.

Referring to the drawings, the details of the invention will be described. The file basket consists of a tray 10, a hanger 12 and a gravity clip 14.

Tray includes a substantially rectangular frame 16 having a lattice-like arrangement of support elements 18 attached thereto. Frame 16 and elements 18 are preferably formed as a Welded steel construction. The tray is deformed at substantially equal distances from the front and rear edges of frame 16 to produce a structure having a flat web portion 20 and similar upwardly and outwardly extending flanges 22 and 24 integral therewith.

The hanger 12 is attached to the exterior surface of the front flange 22 and to the underside of the web portion 20. The hanger comprises a substantially U-sha-ped bracket 26. The arms of bracket 26 are bent at an obtuse angle identical with that between the flange 22 and the web portion 20 and are attached thereto centrally of the tray 10, preferably by welding. The bracket 26 is of sufficient length that a portion 28 thereof, including its web, projects beyond to top edge of flange 22. The projecting portion 28 is bent downwardly and outwardly with respect to flange 22 at an angle appropriate for portion 28 to slip over the handle of a filing cabinet drawer (as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2) to engage the handle and the front surface of the filing cabinet to thereby derive support for the file basket. By this arrangement the web portion 20 of the tray 10 is positioned in a substantially horizontal plane. With the tray 10 and the hanger 12 joined, the steel construction may be coated with a suitable plastic to provide long wear.

A gravity clip 14 is pivotally mounted on the top edge 30 of the rear flange 24. Clip 14 comprises a U-shaped element having its free ends 32 bent loosely about edge 30 to provide a hinging effect. The clip 14 is positioned substantially in alignment with hanger 12, Le. centrally located with respect to the side edges of tray 10. The forward portion of clip 14 is bent slightly upward to conform generally with the plane of the web portion 20 of tray 10 as it rests thereon. The gravity clip may be of any suitable material and may be coated, if desired.

Now that the structure of the file basket has been described, its operation will be set forth. When it is desired to file or remove documents from a filing cabinet, the tray 10 is hung from the cabinet as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 by means of hanger 12. The gravity clip 14 is swung about edge 30 of rear flange 24 to the position shown in dash lines in FIGURE 2. This permits unimpaired access to the tray 10 and free view of the papers being filed. In addition, the Weight of the freely hanging gravity clip, acting on the outermost portion of the file basket, assists in holding the basket firmly in place on the handle of the filing cabinet. When it is desired to hold the documents on tray 10 in place, clip 14 may be swung to the position shown in full lines in the drawings to serve as a weight for the papers.

The above-described embodiment is illustrative of a preferred embodiment of the invention but is not intended to limit the possibilities of insuring the features hereinbefore set forth. The file basket design disclosed herein is an example of an arrangement in which the inventive features of this disclosure may be utilized, and it will become apparent to one skilled in the art that centain modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An improved file basket for attachment to the handle of 1a filing cabinet, comprising: a tray having a substantially flat bottom, open sides, and integral upwardly and outwardly extending flange portions at the front and rear ends thereof; a hanger element attached to the exterior surface of said front flange portion, said hanger element projecting outwardly and downwardly from said tray and adapted for hanging on said handle to support said tray, the downwardly projecting portion of the hanger element lying above the plane of said tray bottom; and a gravity clip pivotally attached to the top edge of said rear flange portion to allow said clip to be swung away from said tray to permit unimpaired access thereto and 3 4 to be swung to a resting position on the top surface of 2,211,199 8/1940 Corkin 211-86 said Web portion of the tray. 2,806,609 9/ 1957 Grobizna 211--90 2,807,513 9/1957 Stein 21188 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Acting Primary Examiner.

1,134,266 4/1915 Hawkins 129-26 CLAUDE RoYExaminer- 1,495,016 5/1924 Gardner 12926 K, I. WINGERT, Assistant Examiner. 

